Player profile

Russell Crossley has the worst average of all goalkeepers in Liverpool’s history having conceded 138 goals in 73 matches or 1.89 goals a game! He has also the fewest amounts of clean sheets, only 11. The number of goals a ‘keeper concedes is of course not totally down to him but the team as a whole and keep in mind the Reds were relegated to the Second Division for the first time in 49 years in his final season at the club. Cyril Sidlow started the 1950/51 season as Liverpool’s main ‘keeper but Crossley had taken his place by late October. The irony was Sidlow himself had alerted Liverpool to Crossley who had been the Welshman’s stand-in in his Army team during the War. Charlie Ashcroft finished the season in goal after Crossley conceded four goals against Huddersfield on 31 March 1951. Crossley didn’t reclaim the goalkeeper’s jersey until the middle of December and kept hold of it until early February 1952. Crossley featured in 36 League games in the following two seasons with Liverpool finally being relegated.